All about the Range Rover CSK

Changes to the Range Rover for the 1991 season were
held over until December 1990. In
the meantime the 250,000th Range Rover rolled off the production
lines in September 1990. But at that year's UK Motor Show Land Rover provided a sneak preview of what
was to come when they announced a
limited-edition two-door Range Rover called the CSK...

The limited edition Range Rover CSK is
named after Charles Spencer King, the man who designed the original 2-door Range Rover over 20
years ago. The CSK was intended primarily to publicise the new
anti-roll suspension and was promoted as a sportier Range Rover. Most examples
had the 3.9 litre V8 engine and five-speed manual gearbox. Most elements of the
CSK's specification were drawn from the four-door Vogue SE or from US-market
models. Each car has a individually numbered plaque on the radio panel
confirming its exclusivity, discreetly bears his insignia, and in 1990 cost
£28,995 (manual). For an automatic you had to pay £30,319.32.

The Range Rover CSK features a number of modifications
improving both performance and passenger comfort. It's the fastest production Range
Rover ever built at that time, with the proven and a re-chipped version of the 3.9
litre V8 engine developing 185bhp. The increase in performance is complemented
by improved handling at high speeds. Land Rover UK had introduced front and
rear anti-roll bars and sports dampers, to give a smoother, more comfortable
ride for on-road handling. The roll stiffness is increased by 25 per cent over
the standard production model. This all gives remarkably positive and
responsive driving. The CSK is available with a choice of five-speed manual or optional
four-speed automatic transmission.

The CSK is also the most aesthetically pleasing Range
Rover ever built. Outside, the stunning Beluga Black paintwork is contrasted
with chrome bumpers and silver pinstripe coach lines whilst discrete silver CSK
logos are positioned on both front wings and one on the lower tailgate. The
elegant CSK lettering on the sides of the scuttle panel supposedly represents
Spen King's signature, but his bank probably wouldn't honour any cheque with
this scrawled across it. The great man confessed some years ago that he had to write
his initials in three or four different ways before Land Rover stylists found a
version they liked! The paintwork looks good because Beluga Black is a clear
over base colour and the lacquer really brings out a depth of shine. All models
also feature a black front spoiler incorporating integral fog lamps. Two
further driving lamps are mounted on the grille for improved night-vision. The
CSK also features distinctive black-edged/rimmed, five spoke silver alloy
wheels, unique to this limited edition.

Inside, you'll find American walnut on the fascia-rail,
centre console and door inserts. The interior is finished is beige, handcrafted,
soft leather seats, co-ordinated leather door trims and a leather covered
steering wheel, all exclusive to this limited edition. A full range of
accessories is available including an autochange CD player for up to 12 CDs
and a cellular telephone. So the CSK displayed a level of luxury never seen on
two-door models.

Also standard is the world's most advanced four-wheel
drive ABS braking system, which prevents wheel-lock in the worst conditions, on
any combination of surfaces. Permanent four-wheel drive through a dual-range
transfer box with viscous-coupling central diff lock.

With improved aerodynamics and T-rated high speed
tyres the maximum speed is increased to 114mph, where permitted, making the CSK
the fastest ever production Range Rover. The CSK sets fresh standards in everything that has made
Range Rover famous. It all adds up to the most desirable Range Rover ever. But
Land Rover UK made only 200 of them. And as Land Rover UK said: you'll be
making your local dealer extremely happy, because he'll be able to take a test
drive too!

The original owners of the CSK received a special
sales brochure and an original Range Rover CSK Owners Pack in a cardboard box,
containing the original black wooden box with an etched metal plate, the sales
folder and a certificate of authenticity containing the original thank-you slip
written and signed by Charles Spencer King himself. The Owners Packs are a
collector's item nowadays.

Special Features of the CSK/Product Details

The Range Rover CSK Luxury Interior

Luxury is redefined when you step inside the stylish
CSK. There are handmade, perforated leather seats, co-ordinated leather door trim and a leather-covered
steering wheel set off by a rich American walnut fascia rail, door handle
inserts and centre console.

Central locking, electric windows and tilt-slide
sunroof, air-conditioning and a superb six-speaker sound system are all
standard. And if that's not enough, a full range of made-to-measure accessories
is available, such as an autochange CD player for up to 12 cd's and a cellular
telephone.

The CSK was not the first limited edition Land Rover
had built, as the Vogue models in the early eighties were also limited
editions. But the CSK was the first model that carried a plate declaring the
fact and indeed a paper certificate of authenticity stating that the car was a
particular one. Surely, a limited edition gives the purchaser a feeling that a
rare vehicle can be possessed as a sort of now or never opportunity.

When the Range Rover CSK was announced in 1990, there
was a certain amount of sniggering in Land Rover enthusiast circles. Most
people couldn't imagine why anybody would want a two-door Range Rover at all in
a market where only four-doors were being sold. In fact, Land Rover chose to make the special-edition a
two-door mainly because every other UK Range Rover in the showroom at that time
was a four-door. It made the model distinctive. And though some of them took a
while to find buyers, all of the 200 CSK models eventually did.

The CSK was a direct descendant of the Olympic project
of the mid-1980s, which had been aimed at producing a sporty derivative of the
Range Rover. The Olympic and the Kestrel prototypes which followed it had
two-door bodyshells because Land Rover thought they looked more sporty than the
four-door variety.

But not every CSK had two doors. In Australia, there
was a special edition four-door model badged as a CSK. It was created by the
importers and carried a simple CSK logo which was not intended even remotely to
resemble Spen King's signature. There were 400 Australian-specification CSK's
made at the same time, in emulation, but they were based on the standard
four-door Vogue SE equipped with a coachline and a logo.

The critics argued further why should one pay a
premium price when there are cheaper or better alternatives. But as anyone can
imagine that exclusivity does not come easily and that exclusivity comes at a
price. Although the car press back in 1990 was critical, they also praised the
CSK in many ways. In fact, they thought and we still think that the CSK is a
superb all-rounder and genuinely enjoyable to use.

Range Rover would, one presumes, never be so vulgar as
to label one of its products as a GTI, but that is more or less what the
limited edition CSK amounts to. In other words, it is The Ultimate Two Door
Range Rover at a Vogue SE specification level. Range Rover fans would
probably have gone mad at the thought of a limited edition special decked out with
leather, air conditioning, special alloys, unique paint scheme and anti-roll
bars front and rear. Add to that a three-door bodyshell - the real Range Rover's clothes! - and the
initials of the car's designer on its rump and it's difficult to see how the
CSK can go wrong. The combination of features on the CSK had never been offered
before in the UK market, and indeed was never offered again in a two-door
format.

So Land Rover had launched the fastest-ever Range
Rover with a suspension package that made it a much more convincing road
vehicle, yet without losing any of its tremendous off-road ability. Even today,
the CSK feels surprisingly modern. For a car of two tons, the CSK can be
hurried surprisingly quickly along the lanes, thanks to an enthusiastic V8
engine. The gorgeous V8 burble thumps out 185bhp at 4,750 rpm and 235lb ft of
torque at just 2,600. With no speed limiter now and a package of aerodynamic
improvements that amounts to two doors rather than four, the CSK will reach a
claimed 114mph, making it the quickest standard Range Rover ever offered. And
with a 0-60 time of 9.9 seconds. The standard vehicles managed 110mph and took
11 seconds to 60. But it's difficult to make too many gains in this
area, given that Range Rovers are about as aerodynamic as Finland.

With terrific all-round vision, a smooth enough
gearbox, powerful anti-brakes and its immense girth, the CSK attracts
enormously. The CSK at last delivers the sort of road handling performance that
every Range Rover should have had for the past 20 years. For some people it may
be somewhat too extravagant or an expensive way to "rise above the riff-raff",
but the CSK is definite a step above ordinary Range Rovers and it heralds
a new era in the big car's handling. Maybe there were cheaper alternatives but with the strong feeling
of power and security and the enjoyment of the leather trim, Range Rover fans
will be thrilled.

There is no mistake that the limited edition CSK
proves the original still had plenty to offer. Inside, the CSK mirrors Vogue SE
spec. The sumptuous leather trim and wood gave the CSK that luxurious feel. But
the real changes are to the coil-sprung live-axle chassis. Since the Range
Rover was launched in 1970, land Rover has maintained that fitting anti-roll
bars would compromise axle articulation and hinder its off-road performance. As
a result, the Range Rover's long travel suspension has always allowed it to achieve
alarming, if perfectly safe, angles of lean when pushed hard on the road. On
the CSK, spring rates have been increased (with dampers to match) and anti-roll
bars fitted at both ends to give 25 per cent more roll stiffness. The clever
part is the fitment of bushings to the inboard ends of the axle radius arms
that are much softer in torsion, so despite stiffer initial roll behaviour the
force required for full suspension deflection is roughly the same - meaning the
CSK's axles will articulate off-road just as well as before.

On the road, the results are very impressive. The
Range Rover has never been known for its communicative steering, but the CSK is
crisper in its responses, far less vague around the straight ahead and feels
more stable and precise at speed. I feels quick, too, leastways until air
molecules start putting op stiff resistance at around 85mph. There's much less
initial roll and far better turn-in, and the CSK can be powered through a series
of bends in a more fluid and far better controlled manner.

With the impressive spread of torque from the
3.9-litre V8 and a manual gearbox that seemed a little sweeter-shifting than
usual, it is the closest thing yet to a sporting standard "classic" Range
Rover. The car is a joy to drive, particular on long open roads, where it just
eats up the distances. It incorporates all the experience and knowledge gained
over 20 years, with a recognition of its two-door heritage.

Before the Range Rover Sport was introduced in April/May
2005, the CSK had been the only other sporting Range Rover. And for this reason
Land Rover borrowed CSK 001 at the Range Rover Sport's World Wide
Launch in Spain as a link between old and new and as a tribute to the original
designer of the Range Rover, Charles Spencer King. His design stands for a true
motoring icon and the Range Rover CSK highlighted the iconic status of the
Range Rover in 1990 as a 20th Anniversary limited edition for the
UK.

Buying & Running Tips

If you're looking for a special car, it will cost you
a lot of time and money. This is especially true of the CSK special edition
Range Rover, assuming, that is, you can find one for sale.

The asking price for runners in good condition is
between 5,000 and 7,000 pounds. Projects are from around 1,000 pound upwards,
depending on the amount of rot and the condition of the interior. Automatics
are rarer than the manual ones. It is important that you pay attention to the unique
bits, like the trim that is unavailable. Until recently the chrome bumpers were
still for sale new. The rest of the CSK is really standard and won't be hard to
find.

The quality control was not brilliant when they were
built and now, some 16 years later, many are showing signs of corrosion in the
inner wings, sills, rear cross members, tailgates, doors and even the
windscreen pillars. So you could say, the normal problems that can be faced when
buying a classic Range Rover.As
said, you won't find many CSK for sales. And if you do find one and you want to
buy the vehicle, make sure that the price genuinely reflects the cost of
putting it in order. And don't underestimate repair costs.

The mechanical bits are all available either new or
secondhand as is most of the bodywork being common to all similar age Range
Rovers. Although good 2-doors are very hard to find. The special wheels are
easy to find as they were used on the LSE though they will need painting to
suit the CSK.

CSK's on offer can be found in the well-known Land
Rover magazines, on eBay and on the websites of specialised Land Rover garages
or car traders.

There is one more important thing when you consider
buying a CSK, the VIN number. They
were all built to UK home market specifications and did not have any unique
identifying feature in their VIN number as they all start SALLHABM7GA followed
by a six-digit number within the normal Land Rover sequence, the numbers being
around 460800. This VIN translates as a Range Rover three-door Estate 3.9 pi
RHD 5-speed manual 1990 model year assembled at Solihull. The auto ones had a 3
instead of the 7 for the ninth digit. There are no identifying features in the
registration details either as they are just recorded as Range Rover Efi
Estates. Being a popular style it is not unknown for replicas to have been
created so if it does not fit the pattern above it is not a CSK, especially if the limited edition
number is missing.

At this moment the British Heritage Motor Centre is
not the place to find out if your car is a real CSK one, because they only held
information on Range Rovers till the year 1989. Land Rover, Lode Lane,
Solihull, is still the right place.

They can verify the VIN number and they do hold a
record of the CSK built vehicles from Land Rover Tractability. We understand
that the certificates had been forgotten and were put in the Range Rover just
before they left the factory, and not at the time or sequence they were
produced on the production line. It was not unusual for that type of problem at
Land Rover at the time. They were going through a lot of reorganisations at the
factory. New buildings starting to be constructed for the new P38A Range Rover
along with other organisation changes. But it is also possible that there may
have been a delay in the supply of the certificates or plaques which meant they
had not been available at the time of production. No one at the factory has the
answer.

So Land Rover can only state a production number of
the CSK's that were built and check if the VIN number of the car is correct. For
instance, we know that Spen King's own Range Rover CSK was the 5th
of the line but has the certificate and plaque number 200. Edition number 001
was actually number 6 that rolled of the production line. And the edition
number 041 (now owned by Michiel Bakkenes) was number 75 of the production
line. So again, it is very important to check if the car
has a individually numbered plaque on the radio panel confirming its
exclusivity of a true CSK. If the seller still have the original certificate
paper of that particular edition number, than you're a really lucky buyer.

Present & Future

In the beginning only 200 CSK's were built, which
makes them something of a rarity. We know that 2 CSK's ended up on the Land
Rover test fleet and were run to destruction. What happened to the other 198
ones?

Three cars went to Australia, as many as twelve we believe went to New Zealand,
four or five examples went to South Africa, one ended up in Kenya, one car has been
spotted in Argentina and three cars are at this moment in Holland. And we fear
that several ones haven been broken up by garages or their owners after being
considered beyond economical repair from rust or accident. Several ones will
probably be in storage due to needing extensive repairs for an MOT and are
awaiting the attentions of suitably skilled or wealthy owners. Of the
rest, it is believed that 80 to 100 CSK's are still surviving or are at least
in working order. So if you can find one in an average or even better condition,
the exclusivity is even more bigger. At this moment we have 74 edition numbers registered on this website.
Have you any idea exactly how many more CSK's do exist today? Owners, former
and current, and Land Rover enthusiasts - please let us know!

The CSK's have their own cult following now, and we hope
that with this new website we can keep this cult alive, now and for the future.
It's a good classic Range Rover but one of a very rare kind. Maybe this
initiative will inspire others to set up a website of other limited editions of
the classic Range Rover. Because there are plenty special editions of this
great car. If you've got one, don't spoil it and don't sell it. And it is a
fact that many design icons are best in their original form. The two-door CSK
Range Rover exemplifies this trait perfectly. So try to keep it as original and
in as good a condition as possible. The CSK is in our view a pristine rarity
and thus we think that the Range Rover CSK is bound to appreciate in value over
time. It is also a fact that it's a bit of a hassle getting a CSK in good
condition insured to satisfaction. It's very difficult to get an agreed value
on a vehicle like this. Some people say that a CSK in concours state is worth
as much as 40 grand, while others think that the figure is nearer to five. It
is also known that edition number 001 has an insurance value of 14 thousand.
The trouble is, because it's number 001 , if something happened to it no sum of
money could replace it. You could get another CSK, but it wouldn't be the first
one. In that sense, this vehicle is unique. And priceless. So if you want to
invest a lot of money in a CSK or if your car is in a very good condition, then
make sure that you get a good insurance for your pride and joy.

Everyone likes the looks of the CSK. And the CSK Range Rover is a highly
prized vehicle by the majority of their owners and their value actually
warrants keeping the ones left in good conditions for future generations. Then
they too will be able to experience what is undoubtedly the best performing and
probably the best looking Classic Range Rover that was ever produced.

We would like to thank the following persons/car-magazines/organisations,
who not only inspired us but who also made it possible
to write this article because of their extensive knowledge of the Range Rover CSK

- The Range Rover Register for publishing the Launch
Press Release, Product in Detail and the article in Issue 35 February 1991 "A very special Range Rover",
and for giving an opportunity to us via their Range Rover Forum to meet other CSK owners
and start this initiative

- James Taylor and Nick Dimbleby, authors of the book "Range
Rover The Complete Story"

- Simon Hodder, author of the article "Range Rover
CSK, Licensed to Thrill", published in LRE, September 2006

- Patrick Sutcliffe, author of the article "I've sold
my CSK", published in LRE, April 2005

- Andy Egerton, author of the article "Chip of the
block", published in LRM, April 2005